Are energy drinks healthy?

Friday

Jun 27, 2008 at 12:01 AMJun 30, 2008 at 2:26 PM

The current energy drink fad has created a $3 billion market, which produces over 500 so-called energy beverages. Many of these drinks are promoted with cool-sounding names such as: Cranergy, Crystal Light Energy Wild Strawberry, Dasani Refresh and Revive, SoBe Essential Energy, Red Bull and many brands of Vitamin Water. These drinks have healthy sounding ingredients including ginseng, ginkgo balboa, vitamin B, antioxidants, green tea extract, various fruit juices and vitamin additives but they also frequently contain high levels of caffiene and sugar. Arizona Green Tea Energy, SoBe Energy Citrus and Naked Juice Energy Smoothie contain more sugar than a can of regular Dr Pepper and chugging down energizing waters or juices can contain lots of sugar and about 150 calories. Guarana is a common component of energy drinks and it is a more powerful stimulant than caffiene. Too much guarana has been implicated in abnormal heart rhythms, especially when combined with alcohol. The stumulants in these drinks can disrupt sleep patterns and the sugar can lead to obesity and tooth decay. Caffiene may give the feeling of being energized but it may also make the heart race or produce aggitation. Coffee may only have 77 milligrams (mg) of caffiene but Red Bull has 80mg and Arizona Green Tea Energy has a whopping 200mg.

European studies have found that energy drinks have the potential to cause liver damage, heart failure and even death and should carry warnings for certain population groups, such as children, pregnant women, lactating women and caffeine-sensitive individuals. The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment analyzed various human trials and noted that cardiac dysrhythmia, seizures, kidney failure and fatalities occurred after consuming energy drinks.Tighter label warnings are in place in countries like Finland and Canada and ingredient limitations are in place in France where taurine is banned. Denmark and Norway have recommended banning energy drinks altogether.

In the America that I love, we will not let unsavory, aggressive marketing mislead us into taking a false sugar boost or a stimulant hot-shot to our central nervous system. The popularity of these energy drinks does not assure their safety. We seem to have forgotten that plain old water or natural fruit juices are really safe and good for us.

Randolph M. Howes, M.D.Kentwood

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